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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23630800">rosary of yew berries</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/matadors/pseuds/matadors'>matadors</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Child Abuse, Foster Care, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Interns &amp; Internships, Not Beta Read, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Protective Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 18:41:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,376</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23630800</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/matadors/pseuds/matadors</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"Hey - I don't mean to impose but if someone doesn't do something you're gonna get yourself killed, kid. Are you sure this -" Tony gestures at the cut carved into his jaw, at the bruise on his cheek. "is just bullies?"</p>
<p>Peter doesn't pay him a glance as he messily stuffs his things into his backpack. "I live in Queens, sir. It's a rough neighborhood."</p>
<p>"You walk home?"</p>
<p>"It's not like I can drive. I take the subway to and from school and I walk back home from here 'cause I can't afford to take the train three times a day."</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Peter Parker &amp; Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>410</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>rosary of yew berries</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>there's hints towards and a brief description of child abuse - the fic itself isn't dark but tread carefully if you don't feel comfortable with such topic</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The internship program is partly Pepper's, partly the PR team's idea. Something along the lines of weaving connections and mentoring young, aspired-to-become, like-minded engineers. Tony finds this problematic - he isn't young, he isn't anyone's babysitter - but there's no choice of denial when he finds himself faced with a millennia of passive threats delivered by none other than Pepper herself.</p>
<p><span class="mceItemHidden">He doesn't find himself <span class="hiddenGrammarError">to be</span> the least bit surprised when he finds a colossal amount of application forms on his desk the next week - all of which he needs to read through, </span><em>manually</em><span class="mceItemHidden">, before adding a stamp of approval or feeding it to the shredder. Cruel, sure, but he isn't much of a <span class="hiddenSpellError">hoarder</span>. It feels like <span class="hiddenSuggestion">the whole</span> of New York applied - a </span><em>gross</em> exaggeration - it takes Tony a whole of a month to scan through each file individually, on top of being busy with SI.</p>
<p>
  <span class="mceItemHidden">Out of some two hundred essays and applications, only fifteen make it into the <span class="hiddenSuggestion">final</span> cut.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span class="mceItemHidden">By the following week there's a <span class="hiddenSpellError">decently-large</span> amount of high schoolers hanging out in the tower's lobby, talking so loud and aggressively that Tony can hear them from inside the elevator.</span>
</p>
<p>"Good afternoon. I believe you already know who I am and why you're here." he starts. "But for those of you who're still unclear - congrats! You got the internship!"</p>
<p>Tony spends the rest of the afternoon giving a detailed tour of the tower and answering questions as if he's some sort of hybrid between a tired tour guide and a teacher who doesn't get paid enough on the job. He shows them the intern labs, the R&amp;D floor, conference rooms, food-court and even bathrooms.</p>
<p>"I'm physically, mentally - <em>spiritually</em> - disturbed and fatigued." he says on the phone with Pepper later that night.</p>
<p>
  <span class="mceItemHidden">She <span class="hiddenSpellError">scowls</span> but there's a playful hiss to it. "Stop overreacting." she's smiling behind her words. No empathy at all. WHat a cruel fucking world.</span>
</p>
<p>"Yeah? Spend an entire two hours with a bunch of teenagers, then we can talk." he spats back, pulling off his tie and falling into bed. "God almighty. I don't even know how parents do it - they must have some kind of...some kind of superpower or, or <em>something</em>."</p>
<p>Pepper laughs and hangs up, leaving Tony to wonder what was so funny about what he said. </p>
<p><span class="mceItemHidden">The first week of the internship consists of Tony walking around the intern labs with a mug off scorching coffee, peering over kids' shoulders to squint at what they're working on and taking <span class="hiddenSuggestion">numerous</span> <span class="hiddenSpellError">selfies</span>. There's the occasional squabble between teens that he resolves and he offers help with equations and diagrams on top of teaching Hooke's Law. He isn't ever going to directly admit it but they're not </span><em>actually</em> bad kids. Hormonal, loud and often times self-centered check the boxes but generally speaking - they're smart, <em>okay</em> kids.</p>
<p>"Working on English homework, I see?" on the second week, he catches a kid reading Of Mice and Men in a far corner, distant from the rest of the interns.</p>
<p>
  <span class="mceItemHidden">The kid flushes and bites his lip as he somehow retreats into his <span class="hiddenSpellError">thickly-knitted</span> sweater - like a turtle hiding in its shell. "Oh <span class="hiddenSpellError">geez</span>, sorry I just, just really have to read this by tomorrow and <span class="hiddenSpellError">I-I'd</span> do it at home but I have a lot of assignments to complete and chores to -"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span class="mceItemHidden">"Relax about it, kid. You're not in any trouble. just <span class="hiddenGrammarError">making an observation</span>, is all." Tony says because he isn't about to make a kid cry. He takes an idle sip of coffee, contemplating the stillness between them. "So? You're not gonna finish the rest of the book?" he gestured towards the paperback.</span>
</p>
<p>The kid's eyes implode and he squeezes into himself. "I-I can?"</p>
<p>
  <span class="mceItemHidden">"Of course. I was once a student too - I know what it's like doing things <span class="hiddenGrammarError">last minute</span>." Tony sighs a bit too nostalgically. All he can picture <span class="hiddenSuggestion">right now</span> is he and <span class="hiddenSpellError">Rhodey</span> pulling energy drink-fueled <span class="hiddenSpellError">all-nighters</span> so they can get their paper done and turned in on time. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span class="mceItemHidden">It <span class="hiddenGrammarError">shouldn't be</span> allowed <span class="hiddenGrammarError">to be</span> this happy; the kid's smile is wide enough to split his face in half, braces glinting under the lab lights. "Thank you Mr Stark! I, uh, I promise I'll get a lot done as soon as I'm done!"</span>
</p>
<p>"That's great kid."</p>
<p>His name is Peter Parker, fifteen, goes to Midtown High, has dead parents and lives within a foster home. Ouch. Tony has to physically stop himself from wincing too hard - how can a kid faced with such tragedy act so happy? Mysteries that'll never be solved, he supposes. </p>
<p>
  <span class="mceItemHidden">One plus side of pseudo-babysitting a roomful of teenagers every Tuesday and Friday afternoon is that it gives Tony a <span class="hiddenSpellError">valid</span> excuse not to do any Stark Industries work. It's another thing he won't ever admit - that he'd rather hang out with a bunch of kids as opposed to getting <span class="hiddenSpellError">butt</span> cramps from sitting in a long-running meeting with a bunch of flabby-skinned old men. Not knowing what to teach them this week, Tony turns Friday into a sort of free block - as in, they can do whatever they want as long as they don't blow anything up, do anything illegal, set anything on fire and give him a migraine.</span>
</p>
<p>"What are we working on today, kid?" coffee mug in hand, he sneaks up behind Peter and gives him a slight fright.</p>
<p>The kid jumps and shivers, turning to display the ring of purple sharply drawn around his eye.</p>
<p>"<em>Holy</em> <em>smokes</em>, kid, who did you have to fight to buy yourself a one-way ticket to black-eye city?"</p>
<p>
  <span class="mceItemHidden">Peter blushes and <span class="hiddenSpellError">cowers</span> under the older man's scrutiny. "It's nothing really, just a bunch of bullies at school." he brushes and turns back to whatever he's working on.</span>
</p>
<p>"I - do you need and ice pack or something?" Tony asks for the sole purpose of not getting sued. He's pretty sure he can get sued if he doesn't offer. </p>
<p>
  <span class="mceItemHidden">Peter bites his lip, sniffs, shakes his head. "Uh, n-no I'm fine, really. It's not the first time so I'm used <span class="hiddenGrammarError">it it</span>."</span>
</p>
<p>Tony doesn't know what exactly possesses him but he gets an ice pack from medical anyway, offering it to Peter despite his reluctance. "What school do you to again? Middletown?"</p>
<p>"Midtown," the kid croaks, pressing the pack against his left eye.</p>
<p>
  <span class="mceItemHidden">"Right - isn't that supposed <span class="hiddenGrammarError">to be</span> some prestigious school for science nerds? Not <span class="hiddenSpellError">bully-central</span>?"</span>
</p>
<p>Peter laughs. "Sir, Midtown is anything <em>but</em> prestigious. I mean, the tuition is kinda high so you'd think that the people would be at least a little decent but uh, there's always outliers to every set of data." he curls a fist into the sleeve of his threadbare and ill-fitting sweatshirt. "Thanks for the ice, Mr Stark."</p>
<p>"Don't sweat it." </p>
<p>He learns more and more about Peter as he spends extended amounts of time with him, helping with experiments or physics equations. He likes spiders, he's in his school's decathlon team, and he's pretty humorous and smart for a kid his age.</p>
<p><span class="mceItemHidden">But over the course of a month, the kid starts developing more and more black eyes and bruises and Tony doesn't know if she <span class="hiddenGrammarError">should be</span> concerned and do something about it or not. He corners Peter in the lab a few days later after everyone leaves. "Hey - I don't mean to impose but if someone doesn't do something you're gonna get yourself killed, kid. Are you sure this -" Tony gestures at the cut carved into his jaw, at the bruise on his cheek. "is </span><em>just</em> bullies?"</p>
<p>
  <span class="mceItemHidden">Peter doesn't pay him a glance as he <span class="hiddenSpellError">messily</span> stuffs his things into his backpack. "I live in Queens, sir. It's a rough neighborhood."</span>
</p>
<p>"You walk home?"</p>
<p>"It's not like I can drive. I take the subway to and from school and I walk back home from here 'cause I can't afford to take the train three times a day."</p>
<p>"And you get beat up on your way home? <em>Jesus</em>, kid." Tony says. He thinks, stirring up an idea that he'll probably regret in the near future. "You know what? At least let me drive you home, I'd feel too guilty knowing that -"</p>
<p>"<em>No</em><span class="mceItemHidden">! I mean, no. It's <span class="hiddenSpellError">fine</span> really, if I leave now I can probably make it home before it gets too dark."</span></p>
<p>
  <span class="mceItemHidden">Tony doesn't have enough energy to argue with a teenager so he lets the kid go - at least, not without telling Happy to discreetly follow him home to make sure he doesn't get into any trouble.</span>
</p>
<p>"Boss," Happy materializes in the penthouse sometime after seven, looking more concerned than Tony's ever seen him. Happy shows him a video on his phone; it's short, some thirty seconds, but it's a slightly blurry depiction of a kid and man standing on a porch. The man yells for a few seconds before he back-hand slaps the kid across the cheek. "I followed him home like you asked me to and I think you should think about calling Child Protective Services."</p>
<p>Tony almost has a panic attack. He <em>barely</em> knows the kid but knowing what he knows, it takes him no time at all to tie the links between the video and the kid's injuries. It makes him want to throw up, and he <em>does</em><span class="mceItemHidden">, right <span class="hiddenSuggestion">onto</span> the Persian rug in the living room. Peter's being </span><em>fucking</em> abused. There are no bullies at school or neighborhood gangsters. Just a single abusive foster parent. Tony makes a few calls and talks to a few different people and ends up having an existential crisis when he's tired between two outcomes.</p>
<p><span class="mceItemHidden">The case worker carefully tells him the following; that if the reported suspect ends up meeting all the abuse criteria Peter can either be placed into group home or - </span><em>this</em> is the part that sends chills down Tony's spine - Tony can foster him in the meantime, while they look for a more suitable, safer family who's willing to accept him.</p>
<p>"Why should I foster him? I don't even know what his favorite color is." he breaks into Pepper's apartment only to sit on her couch and wallow. "I don't think I can ever be a parent - I <em>can't</em> be a parent, Pep. That's probably the worst idea of the century. And kids, I don't know how to handle kids."</p>
<p>"You've been handling pretty well, if you ask me." she shrugs, wine glass in hand. "I know you've secretly taken a liking to hanging out with the interns every week."</p>
<p>Tony scoffs, hand on his chest and eyes rolling so far into the back on his head that it hurts. "Yeah, right. And for the record, I don't <em>hang out</em><span class="mceItemHidden"> with them, I teach them valuable life skills. I'm their shockingly nice, ruggedly handsome, mysterious mentor, not their hippy-cool friend."</span></p>
<p>"Sure, tell yourself that if it helps you sleep at night." Pepper winks but her expression takes a serious change seconds later. "Honestly, the publicity that would come with fostering a child would be an absolute <em>nightmare</em> to handle. But then again, I look at it this way; you obviously care about him, enough to get him out of an abusive environment, and I think of it as endearing. Tony, it all depends on you. But if you think it's the right thing to do then you've got my go-ahead." she kisses him on the cheek and leaves him to stew.</p>
<p>
  <span class="mceItemHidden">Turns out, there's an entire shit-list of horrible things the kid's foster parent did on top of being violent - starving Peter, being one that makes Tony extremely sick to the stomach. The case workers are <span class="hiddenSuggestion">currently</span> in the process of <span class="hiddenSpellError">arrestation</span>. </span>
</p>
<p>Tony doesn't see Peter for entire week, worries just to the slightest bit and has a few panic attacks, finally before facing the neat stack of papers waiting for him on his desk.</p>
<p>"Hey kid," Peter comes back a week later, this time without any purple-pigmented skin. The atmosphere between them is awkward, to say the least. "how are you feeling today?"</p>
<p>"Um, good. Kind of achy but good." he whispers, shifting on his work bench. "I'm uh, I'm sorry I lied. About, you know, <em>that</em><span class="mceItemHidden">. I just - it was stupid and I didn't want <span class="hiddenGrammarError">to be</span> a burden so, yeah. Thank you."</span></p>
<p>
  <span class="mceItemHidden">Tony <span class="hiddenSpellError">harrumphs</span>, setting his coffee down on the table and taking a seat across from the kid. "Look, I'm no Steve Rogers but I make it clear when I say I don't like bullies of any shape, size, age or form. Your safety and well-being comes first - forget about trying <span class="hiddenGrammarError">to be</span> humble or forgiving. If you know you're being hurt, you come to me or anyone else for the matter, I don't really care as long as you're safe, Pete."</span>
</p>
<p>"Oh. That's uh, really sweet of you Mr Stark. Thanks." Peter briefly smiles but there's something eerie about it. "I really hope they put me in a good home this time."</p>
<p><span class="mceItemHidden">"Yeah, about that." Tony chokes, tapping the pads of his fingers on the table. "I know this might seem weird, considering the fact that I've only known you for a little over a month but your social worker, uh - she told me that I could be granted temporary guardianship until they can find you a good place to stay. And by all means - you can just <span class="hiddenGrammarError">flat out</span> reject my offer if you think it </span><em>is</em> weird."</p>
<p>Peter gapes at him, surprised. "You don't <em>have</em> to."</p>
<p>
  <span class="mceItemHidden">"But I want to. Look, you're a great kid - smart, caring, funny. And trust me when I say this, 'cause I'm not much of a compliment-giver, you're brilliant. And I feel like it's my responsibility to assure that you're safe and that you're being treated as kids deserve <span class="hiddenGrammarError">to be</span> treated."</span>
</p>
<p>"Well I can't really argue with that, can I?" Peter laughs.</p>
<p>Tony smiles. "No, I don't think you can."</p>
<p>
  <span class="mceItemHidden">Pepper and his lawyers help with the paperwork and keeping the process under wraps for the moment being. Peter is with him when he signs the agreement <span class="hiddenSpellError">form</span>, all shy smiles and toothy grins. Tony pulls him in for a hug, with a silent promise that <span class="hiddenSpellError">everything'll</span> be okay before they celebrate by licking their spoons dry of half of the ice cream in Tony's freezer. </span>
</p>
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